ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Technical Discussion - Performance / Modify => Topic started by: talonxracer on April 24, 2012, 12:41:08 PM
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I decided on what route I was going to take engine wise with my Sidekick, header, offset camgear key and a torquer cam. I ordered the SS header from XtremeZuks and it came in today. I decided to go with this header over the Thourly or Calmini 16v headers for several reasons, First is that it is SS construction, second is the hidden EGR pipe, third and almost more important than any other is the fact it is a DIRECT BOLT-ON, it bolts right up to the stock cat. It has a very nicely polished finish and comes with the collector gasket to fit the stock flange, exhaust mani gasket and the hot air tube for those equipped with one.
I have taken a scuff pad to scuff the SS and take the polished appearance off and prep it for the ThermoTec wrap and spray coating/sealer.
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/talonxracer/IMG_1357.jpg)
Notice the EGR line is machined into the flange rather than a pipe
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/talonxracer/IMG_1359.jpg)
2 bolt flange to connect up to the stock cat using a stock ball and socket donut gasket and spring bolts
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/talonxracer/IMG_1360.jpg)
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You might want to check, Calmini recommends not using the wrap on their SS header. XtremeZuk's might have a similar requirement.
I went with the Calmini myself, since it is a direct replacement and has the 02 sensor in the collector for all 4 pipes instead of only 2. I do like the way the EGR vavle is built in though, on the Calmini install I had to modify the engine hoist point to fit around the tube.
Let us know how you like it. My Tracker is now waiting on a transmission rebuild before I can give my new header a try. Sounds nice though.
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Just placing wrap on the bare stainless can cause issues as you noted, even the ThermoTec wraps directions state to use their coating prior to using the wrap, this prevents the super heated salts from corroding the stainless. I have seen the end results of wrap over bare steel, it isnt "purty"! LOL
If the wrap doesnt provide the results I want I will remove the wrap, blast the header clean and send it to SwainTech for their WhiteLightning ceramic coating, that I know does work exceddenly well, though costly.
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Are you looking to keep the heat down in the engine compartment or a bit more power with the wrap?
One question, does your header use the lower brace that goes between the original manifold and the engine block? I was kind of annoyed that it was left off the Calmini header, even if I doubt it's needed.
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Looking for both, because when you accomplish one, you accomplish the other, LOL
I used one of those flex neck video cameras to get a look at the inside of the collectors and they are similar to the Thourly, defenitely not a top end header, LOL. Also one item of concern to me is the fit and finish of the pipes to the mounting flange on the gasket side, they need to be welded and smoothed out a bit, I will post pics up later to show what I am referring to.
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Looks great. I'll be in the market for a header in the near future, as my '95 16V's manifold is cracked (and essentially patched right now).
- Andy
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The notorious cylinder #3-#4 crack in the mani? same here! Mileage went from highs 20's-low 30's to under 10mpg.......That was the main reason for getting a header as the stock mani breathes rather well.
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Looks great. I'll be in the market for a header in the near future, as my '95 16V's manifold is cracked (and essentially patched right now).
- Andy
That is what lead to my upgrade, we welded it up but tweaked things a bit and the number one started leaking. The number 4 was cracked about 3/4 of the way around and we had a second crack started on the number 2.
The fit and finish on the Calmini was great, no issues with the welds on it. I did have to bend the bracket for holding up the air intake just a bit and there was more slack around the manifold bolts then I liked. But the welds all look good. :D
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I know this is a little off topic but has anyone tried to repair these cracks? My '95 hasn't cracked yet but on my Cummins I used a method from this company http://www.locknstitch.com (http://www.locknstitch.com) It has held up for 60k
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Here is the lower timing belt gear and offset key,
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/talonxracer/IMG_1361.jpg)
Here is the header with the Thermotec coating applied
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/talonxracer/IMG_1363.jpg)
And here is the header wrapped and drying, I will be spraying it with the coating tomorrow.
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/talonxracer/IMG_1364.jpg)
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The wrap dried out overnight. I sprayed the Thermotec coating onto the header this morning. When the coating cures it really locks down the header wrap and is an integral part of the wrap procedure. 2 cans of the coating, one to the bare header and one after wrapped.
Here is the header all ready to go
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/talonxracer/IMG_1365.jpg)
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Which way round are you fitting the key?
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You advance the gear on the crankshaft(clockwise when facing the front of the engine).
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Looks great. I'll be in the market for a header in the near future, as my '95 16V's manifold is cracked (and essentially patched right now).
- Andy
That is what lead to my upgrade, we welded it up but tweaked things a bit and the number one started leaking. The number 4 was cracked about 3/4 of the way around and we had a second crack started on the number 2.
The fit and finish on the Calmini was great, no issues with the welds on it. I did have to bend the bracket for holding up the air intake just a bit and there was more slack around the manifold bolts then I liked. But the welds all look good. :D
There's a lot of room around the bolt holes in a stainless steel header because of the expansion rate of stainless. If the mounting holes were bored exactly to fit, most of the studs would shear off during the first heat cycle. I built my SS turbo header with the same type of EGR passage cut into the back of the flange. Works well.
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Is that the stock timing belt crank pulley? Who sells the key?
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That is a stock crank pulley for a 96'+ 1.6L
I got the key from ZukiNation/Altered Ego Motorsports
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There's a lot of room around the bolt holes in a stainless steel header because of the expansion rate of stainless. If the mounting holes were bored exactly to fit, most of the studs would shear off during the first heat cycle. I built my SS turbo header with the same type of EGR passage cut into the back of the flange. Works well.
Huh, didn't even think of the expansion rate. Gosh your full of useful information! :)
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it's very much like the DT header as the "Tri-Y" is there design as far as i remember. But is it smog legal ?
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There's a lot of room around the bolt holes in a stainless steel header because of the expansion rate of stainless. If the mounting holes were bored exactly to fit, most of the studs would shear off during the first heat cycle. I built my SS turbo header with the same type of EGR passage cut into the back of the flange. Works well.
Huh, didn't even think of the expansion rate. Gosh your full of useful information! :)
My wife says I'm full of " something " allright. :laugh:
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it's very much like the DT header as the "Tri-Y" is there design as far as i remember. But is it smog legal ?
Significant differences as far as a header goes, DT uses a 90 degree bend at the bottom, this Xtreme header uses two 45 degree angles which produces far less restriction. And then you have the length of the primary tubes which are significantly different in length(even an inch of length creates a different rpm range header)
The "tri-Y" is not a DT created design, it has been around for far longer than DT has.
Being smog legal has absolutely nothing to do with actually pollution output, and everything to do with paying the graft to be tested and approved by Cali. For me here in NY it is perfectly legal, any portion of the exhaust can be changed after 8 years or 80K miles(whichever occurs first) and as long as it passes OBDII checks, passes a sniffer test and a Db check it is legal. I dont know how NY state could ever have something that makes common sense as they are almost as retsrictive as kommiefornia, LOL
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TalonEx, is that header and timing key mod meant for more low end umph? Man, I'd like to find a way to get more bottom out of mine. Next step is supercharging >:D
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that is EXACTLY what the mods are intended to do. I am looking at lowering the power band and enhancing the low and midrange. My Sidekick with 31's and 5.13 diffs is a tad whimpy and needs the power to come on sooner.
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Good ideas both. I think I'm going to pick up one of those offset keys for the engine I'm building now. With the forced induction helping the top end, maybe I can squeeze a bit more off the bottom too.
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Well I got the header installed finally, it went fairly easy without many hicups, LOL
Within a minute of starting the engine the header started smoking like a 2bit whore for half an hour! LOL
All the little tics and noises are GONE !!!!
That POS stock mani had three cracks in it!
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/talonxracer/IMG_1367.jpg)
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g96/talonxracer/IMG_1366.jpg)
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I have taken several rides after installing the new header and resetting the ECU. All of the power is back that was lost to running so rich from the cracked mani. By the "butt dyno" there were some decent gains in the midrange. Hard to tell if the gains felt today were from the elimination of the cracked mani and resulting rich condition, or the header providing the gains, my bet is a little of both, but hard to prove without some dyno time. But I am happy with the gains/power so far, next will be the timing key(forgot to get a new cam seal) and then a torquer cam.
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Did you add an additional brace on the mount for your air intake? I don't have that bar that comes down over the studs between the number 3 and 4.
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No need for any additional support as the support was included with this header. That bar is actually the bottom leg of a "T" and the top cross of the "T" has 2 welded nuts to bolt up the air intake support just like normal. Sorry, should have taken a picture but forgot to, but that picture sorta shows it.
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I really like the drivability now, I have taken a bunch of trips up and down the mtn like a kid with his first ride, LOL
It was running really fat, low teens in the fuel mileage and making a bunch of strange noises, now it is very quiet, running the proper A/F and thusly leaner and more powerfull, and hopefully better mileage, though driving like a maniac may affect that....
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What size tubing is the header? & do you think a H/P cat/muffler & exh. system will give you more power & perhaps MPG.
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The primaries are 1.12 ID, secondaries are approx 1.5 and the collector was just a BCH over 2".
I already plan on snagging a new cat and muffler as what is on the Sidekick right now are stock spec NAPA replacements. I plan on a Magnaflow mettalic core spun cat, 2" mandrel bent tubing and a Dynamax VT muffler to maintain back pressure when needed and offer free flow at WOT.
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Every once in a while take a peak under that header wrap, that stuff likes to hold moisture. Even if you get it good and hot it can sometimes stay damp. Past experience with the Harley crowd, working on bikes that had header wrap showed some nasty corrosion under some wraps. It just may be the type they used, but I'd check it anyway. That's a nice header and wouldn't wanna see it get ugly. I was going to wrap my turbo manifold to keep the heat in but I've found the heat retention qualities of stainless are so good it's not an issue or even recommended.
For your exhaust, I like aluminized mild steel exhaust tubing, it really is corrosion resistant and cleaned thouroghly and painted with a good header paint ( I used a ceramic based spray) it really does not rust or corrode either.
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You cant peek under it.
If you apply the wrap properly it will not absorb water, that is entirely the reason for the coating. You saturate the fibers of the wrap with the coating which is then baked into the coating that was applied prior to the wrap, it makes it one solid composite.
I made sure that plenty of the coating was applied between the tubes/collector on the welds prior to wrapping in case any water does make it under the wrap.